UPDATE amazingly good remote control, migration from the Harmony 555 problems

UPDATE amazingly good remote control, migration from the Harmony 555 problems

Logitech Harmony SmartControl Hub + Remote Control Black (Accessories)

Customer Review

In my Harmony 555 after many years have individual keys stopped working (OK button, volume buttons).

The new Harmony SmartControl I honestly do not buy because of the mobile phone operator (for which Logitech primarily advertising does), but because of the remote email. I advocate the "good old" remote. The app I hardly use.

The device works completely on the Harmony app - it is no longer, as in the 555 necessary to connect a cable to the PC to send the program to the FB. This has always been a tedious and time-consuming procedure.

For the initial setup of the stroke Bluetooth must be enabled on the phone so the hub can communicate with the app. Then, the WLAN will be established at the hub, and then you can turn off Bluetooth on the phone again and no longer needs it.

I was pleasantly surprised by the migration: For the new Smart Control you have a Logitech Create account - with the 555 I could not login. However, it was then possible when migrating to specify an old account. From there, all the settings of the 555 were actually taken. After this step, I had to assign the acquired actions, only the new action buttons (TV, listening to music, video).
And that is all about the app front of the TV!

Even setting up new operations, keys, Power-on sequence and delays everything goes through the app, and can be tried immediately. This is a huge relief compared to the 555 software.

The remote itself is very light, haptic classy and has sharp pressure points. 5 stars for the feel! The key layout is compared to the 555 a lot better - the color buttons are above. No more finger contortions.
The FB has a built-in button cell (CR2032 or CR2025 one, can not remember exactly) and is supposed to hold a number of years. Let's see.

Functions on the display of 555 were previously, can be seen on the buttons on the remote place (dual function by press and hold). So for example, I set the aspect ratio of the TV on a button. The change in the Devices mode is via the remote control, however, not at all - only works on the app. So I can about the FB instance no longer control the menu of the TV, but must either take the original remote control, or launch the app.

We deduct why:

- There is no button illumination. There may have been sufficient to make the keys phosphorescent if no active lighting already in it. After a few weeks I can the most important keys (the rocker, Play / Pause / Stop and Seek already blind recognize).

- The lack of help function. Since off TV and VDR-PC after some time itself ("Mützel function"), and the FB is then no longer in sync, there is always a small curse, later the device back on. In the 555 you pressed "Help" and was led by a Wizzard, the device turned on again. It leaves out the, and it ends in "continuous fire" to the TV-action button, or repeated off / on switch. Here is a function defined by Logitech would be appropriate, for example if a second time the action button is pressed, regardless of the state should just continue everything be turned on.

Otherwise I am quite satisfied. The display of 555 did not go from me.

To operate with the app two or three sentences:
When you start the app connects the app to Smart Control and loads the configuration. This takes a few seconds. The app you can open then. It is adjustable so that the app itself dims darker after some time.
In the app you can layout the functions themselves "design", ie placing buttons / functions as desired.
The devices of the call mode is in my opinion too expensive - it takes a few clicks to get to the respective device. This should make easier Logitech.
Otherwise I can not say much, because I actually do not use the app.

In the meantime, there is the way an open source project that can connect to the Smart Hub on Linux, and can (still limited) transmit keystrokes. In my opinion, Logitech should be the protocol at all free - my home automation would be happy about it, if they could turn the repeater about this Logitech device in order to play my favorite music when you come home to.

UPDATE 30.09.2014
Logitech recently released versions 4.0 and 4.01 of the Apps.
These are available for both iOS and Android inoperable. Classical functions are broken or have been left out, the layout is a disaster, the tablet buttons are smaller than most mobile phones, you will find the functions no longer, the menu opens only after repeated pressing, the tablet only portrait mode, the app forgets its own state action, macro missing keys can not be moved ...
Currently you can not advise anyone to buy this product because you do not have the ability to install the old version.
4 star rating 1 star

UPDATE 16/12/2014
In the meantime, the app 4.0.4, with the Smart Hub is fairly reasonable to operate again (at least, much of the fault away).
However, a real operation with the app for me is still as impossible:
On iPhone 5s for example, the layout is so poorly chosen, that you turn the channel change and volume up / down toggle between views must. That's completely bad solved.
Or the color keys to achieve, I have to scroll down through all functions, until I found this.
The view with the directional pad is not configurable, ie there can place any keys, even though enough space would be.
On Android 7 "tablet a lot more buttons are displayed on a screen, but very small. So you can at least work halfway. However, the tablet is not always there.
I like the Smart Hub concept very good, but the supplied remote control should reconnect to the high functionality of the old Harmony's (at least in any case, key illumination)
In addition, the protocol of the smart hubs should be disclosed so that it can be integrated for example in a house automation. From then, the part is then void sexy!
Rating from 1 to 2 stars because App software updates

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